Lumma BMW CLR X 650 GT to Debut in Geneva

Lumma Design was clearly not satisfied with the work it presented on the BMW X6 at Essen 2008. They now present another slightly different package and it's called the CLR X 650 GT. At the forefront of this is the rear carbon fiber spoiler which makes a line all the way to the sides ending at the front headlights.

The front spoiler is custom-fitted and is integrated to the daytime running lights. The front and rear fenders are enlarged, suspension is lowered, and the roof is finished in matte black. The 11x23-inch deep-dish rims are matched with high-performance tyres of size 315/25-23.

Lumma is not only known for exterior work but for the inside as well. For this part they fitted upgraded leather trim, sports seats upholstered in leather and ultra-suede. A flat-bottom sports steering wheel with a shift indicator makes the driver feel more willing than ever.

Although the pedals themselves were left untouched, the gas pedal features something Lumma calls the Gas Pedal Module or GPM. GPM works with the 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 and reprogrammed ECU to increase pedal response for enthusiastic driving.

The BMW X6 based Lumma CLR X 650 GT makes its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

Source: autoblog.nl

HKS Announces CZ200S Mitsubishi EVO X Time Attack Project

One of the legacies continuously being created by tuning house HKS is the number of track records it has achieved with the HKS CT230R Circuit Time Attack Evo. The Evo is always a good base car to start from if one is looking for a razor-sharp handler to take on a race track.

A new car dubbed the HKS Lancer Evolution X, CZ200S is now being developed for the same time attack purposes. As with its predecessors most of the parts used for the CZ200S's are either sold off-the-shelf or available to customers as prototype HKS products.

The Yokohama Tyre Company will be expected to provide top rubber shoes for the CZ200S as it goes for a lap time of under one minute at the Tsukuba Circuit, Japan. Consider though that cars like the Nissan Nismo R34 Z-Tune, the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and a stock Nissan GT-R are yet to break the one minute barrier on that circuit.

Initial testing using new Advan Neova AD08 radial tyres yielded a best lap time of 59.495 at Tsukuba.

Source: HKS via 4wheelsnews.com

Nissan GT-R SpecV First Independent Tsukuba Circuit Laptimes Reported

The following news will either disappoint or delight some Nissan GT-R fans. The new GT-R SpecV is slower than the standard GT-R. In fact, it's slower than both the MY08 and MY09 cars. Good news for standard car owners, bad news for those who have or are planning to shell out the equivalent of ¥15,750,000 for a SpecV.

Japan's Best Motoring publication has gotten a hold of the mighty SpecV and they wasted no time in heading for the Tsukuba Circuit to test Nissan's claims for themselves. To make matters interesting they put legendary racer Keiichi "The Drift King" Tshuchiya behind the wheel. Even he could not beat the MY08 and MY09 times of 1:01.888 and 1:01.343 respectively. The car could only manage a best time of 1:02.4. Best Motoring says the conditions under which all three cars were tested were similar.

The SpecV weighs 60kg less than the factory car. It's powered by a 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 with 480hp (353kW) and 434 ft-lb of torque. No explanation is forthcoming on this pressing issue yet, suffice to say perhaps the upcoming issue of Best Motoring in which the car was tested will provide some answers.

Source: gtrblog.com

New 2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI Promotional Video Released

It can be argued that the Audi R8 V10 probably does not need a promotional video. The car can practically just sell itself. Nevertheless there will be no complaints from fans of powerful fast cars after they click on this video to see flashes of the R8 V10 and hear that marvelous engine in a professionally-shot video clip. The video runs for about a minute and a half and shows the car at a track putting some rubber on the tarmac. No fancy stunts were performed, apart from the handbrake turn at the end.

The Audi R8 V10 was finally launched to the public at the Detroit Motor Show in January after much speculation and spy pictures. It has a 5.2-litre V10 FSI engine that gives it 386kW (525hp) and 530Nm of torque. In 3.9 seconds it reaches 100km/h from standstill while top speed is 316km/h (196mph).

Source: Audi

Hyundai ix-ONIC HED-6 Concept Live Photos

Hyundai has unveiled their new ix-ONIC (HED-6) concept at a press event ahead of the car's official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The concept hints at the company's future styling direction for an upcoming compact SUV and from the looks of it, Hyundai may have a hit on their hands.

The brand's traditional conservative styling is thrown out the window and is replaced by a dramatic exterior that features a blend of muscular curves and sharp angular lines which helps to create an impressive and sporting appearance. Among the many design details are back-swept front headlights, a hexagonal grille, 21-inch mirror-polished alloy wheels, and a special three-dimensional rear window that is made from high-performance plastic instead of traditional glass.

Under the hood sits an all-new 1.6-liter GDi turbocharged engine which produces 175 HP and is connected to a brand-new six-speed automatic transmission that was developed in-house.

The company will also use the Geneva Motor Show to debut the new i30 blue which features engine stop/start technology to achieve a 7% increase in fuel economy and the new i20 three-door.

Source: telegraaf.nl via hyundai-blog.com

Saudi Tuner: Mercedes S550 Gets CL550 Front End Conversion - Becomes CS500?

Sometimes we here at WorldCarFans are just plain thankful for all that spare cash that flows through the Middle East. Without it, we wouldn't have all these weird, bad, and unusual tuners to make fun of.

Case and point, the car its owner is calling the Mercedes CS500. What's that you say? There's no such thing? Well there is when Saudi tuner MyCar takes a Mercedes S550 and tacks on a front end from the CL550. All that's left is to add the missing "C" and "0" to the rear badging, and you have a CS500. We definitely will not file this car away as ugly, like so many other tuner vehicles from the region. We think this car looks like a natural when the front end of the CL550 is joined to the S550 body.

Say what you will, but this certainly does not look like a bad car, especially when you put it side-by-side with such Middle Eastern atrocities as the Hummer H2 Cabrio, and the chrome-plated Mercedes C63 AMG. Even Autoblog thinks it classes up the S550 a bit. The family-owned Riyadh-based tuners at MyCar are very proud of their creation, and they should be.
If you happen to be in Riyadh, you may still be able to check out the MyCar Mercedes CS500. They only just posted the photos a few days ago.

Source: gulf4cars.com via autoblog.com

Subaru Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition (UK)

Who says that desirable limited-edition cars have to be unattainable exotics? Clearly not Subaru. The company has just released what might be the most wallet-friendly special edition ever in the UK: the Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition. Production of the striped and spoilered supermini will be limited to just 100 cars. At under £10,000 each, this means that then entire production run could be had for less than the cost of a chrome-plated Bugatti Veyron.

The thumb-sized Justy is a city car based on the Daihatsu Sirion, and in 1.0R form it looks the part of a maximum-economy urban minicar; it's boxy and conservative. The 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition adds a healthy dose of excitement in the form of exclusive paint (in a choice of Black Mica or Shining Red) and over-the-roof "viper stripes," a roof spoiler, privacy glass and a dual exhaust. Inside, the Justy's tarted up with a leather and alloy shift knob. 15-inch Monza R alloy wheels are also available.

The Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition shares the Justy 1.0R's 1.0 liter, 68bhp three-cylinder engine and two-wheel drive running gear. It's not exactly what you'd call a "hot hatch," but the special edition's attitude makes up for what it lacks in outright performance. So does the fuel economy: after all, when was the last time you could boast that your ultra-rare limited-edition Ferrari got 64.2mpg on the UK's Extra Urban Cycle?

The Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition's standard equipment includes air conditioning, anti-lock brakes and power windows. Pricing is only £690 more than the standard Justy 1.0R, starting at £9,995. The Monza alloys add £600 to the bottom line, but even fully equipped, this is a special edition that most of us could live with.

We're rooting for some creative multi-billionaire enthusiast to step up and purchase all of them. A 6800bhp army of buzzing microcars with racing stripes has to be at least as cool as a FAB Design Maybach, doesn't it?

Source: Subaru